Disaster Management in Fisheries

Life saving appliances

Introduction

This chapter is one of the regulations under Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) made by International Maritime Organization (IMO). Chapter III more focus at point of Life-saving appliances and arrangement in ship. Life-saving appliances and arrangement regulation are important in ship and applied for all ship in world.

Before the ship leaves port and at all times during the voyage, all life-saving appliances shall be in working order and ready for immediate use. The life-saving appliances should be inspected by period weekly or monthly by officers to keeps the equipment in ready and condition well need on when emergency.

Body:

• Inspection period

Inspection of the life-saving appliances, including lifeboat equipment, shall be carried out monthly using the checklist required by regulation 36.1 to ensure that they are complete and in good order. A report of the inspection shall be entered in the log-book.

• Maintenance

Maintenance, testing and inspections of life-saving appliances shall be carried out based on the guidelines developed by the Organization* and in a manner having due regard to ensuring reliability of such appliances.

Instructions for on-board maintenance of life-saving appliances complying with the requirements of regulation 36 shall be provided and maintenance shall be carried out accordingly.

• Muster list

To be followed I the event of an emergency must be provided for every person on board and muster lists should be exhibited in conspicuous places thought the ship including the bridge, engine-room and accommodation spaces. A muster list must give the details of the general emergency alarm signal and action to be taken when the alarm is sounded. Emphasis should be put on how the actual order to abandon ship is given. The muster list should list duties assigned to different crew members and the following duties are included:

1. The closing of watertight doors, fire doors, valves, scuppers, side-scuttelles, skylight, portholes or any similar opening.
2. Putting equipment into survival craft.
3. Preparing and launching of survival craft.
4. General preparation of others life-saving appliances.
5. The muster of passengers including wives.
6. Use of communication equipments.
7. Special duties assigned in use of fire-fighting equipment and installation.

Most ships use emergency teams which are trained to deal with specific emergencies. Emergency team duties are to carefully stipulated, co-ordinate and integrated with the obligatory muster list.

Muster list shall state which officers have the responsibility for ensuring the maintenance and ready availability of life-saving and fire appliances and it shall specify key person who may become disable in emergencies.

Muster list must be prepared before a ship goes to sea. Additional duties are stipulated for crew members on passenger ships and the format of the list used on such ships must be approved.

 Emergency signal